Pan Seared Rock Fish with Lemon Recipe
In today’s article I want to talk about a special recipe Pan Seared Rock Fish with Lemon Recipe. However, this Pan Seared Rockfish Recipe is inspired by Julia Child’s fish meunière (fish in butter sauce) and is served with an easy lemon caper sauce. This tasty Pan Seared Rockfish Recipe is made with fish that has been seared in butter and oil and is served with a lemon and caper pan sauce.
Pan Seared Rockfish with lemon Recipe is simple to make and incredibly tasty. With seasoning and a lemon, butter sauce, the whole fish is cooked to perfection. The tender flaky fish comes out flavorful, lemony, and juicy. This 20-minute baked rockfish recipe is ideal for a weeknight family meal. This recipe is simple to make and doesn’t require many ingredients; it’s inexpensive and ready in 20 minutes. Ideal for busy weeknights.
What exactly is Rockfish?
You may be wondering what rockfish is. Rockfish is a broad term that refers to over 70 different types of saltwater fish that prefer to hide among the rocks near the ocean’s bottom. This medium-sized white fish has a mild and light flavour and is very lean and firm.
Rockfish, also known as Pacific Snapper, Red Snapper, or Rock cod, is one of the most common fish along the North American Pacific Ocean coast. It is a versatile fish that can be used in almost any fish recipe and is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisines.
What Is the Taste of Rockfish?
Rockfish has white flesh and a sweet, mild flavour. Its flaky texture appeals to a wide range of palates and lends itself to a wide range of recipes. The mild flavour profile of rockfish makes it an excellent canvas for a variety of applications, such as stuffing it into fish tacos or battering and frying it. If you have a recipe that calls for any mild, flaky white fish, rockfish is a good choice.
Here, I quickly coat it in a flour-cornstarch mixture for a crispy finish and make a quick brown butter sauce to pour over the top. The nutty sherry vinegar and smoked paprika complement the richness of the brown butter, adding depth to this otherwise mild fish.
Ingredients for making Pan Seared Rock Fish with Lemon Recipe
- 4 rockfish fillets
- 1 lemon
- ⅓ Cup flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill, divided
Directions for making Pan Seared Rock Fish with Lemon Recipe
- Rinse rockfish fillets in cold water, and then pat dry.
- Zest and juice the lemon.
- Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a shallow plate.
- Heat 1 of tablespoon butter and the olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Dredge the rockfish fillets in the flour mixture one at a time, and add to skillet when butter has melted. Discard the extra flour.
- Pan-sear the fillets for 5 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom, then flip to brown the other side. Flatten the fillets gently with a spatula to ensure even browning.
- When the second side has browned (about 3-4 minutes) and fillets are cooked through, remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the pan, and turn the heat down to low.
- When the butter starts to brown (this should take 1-2 minutes), add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, capers, and 1 tablespoon of dill, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Turn off the heat and taste the sauce, adding more lemon juice, salt, and/or pepper as desired.
- Drizzle the sauce over fillets, garnishing with more chopped dill.
Serving Suggestions for Pan Seared Rockfish Recipe
Rockfish fillets cook quickly; sticking to simple sides allows you to serve this meal in less than 30 minutes. To soak up the rich sauce, I like to serve it with lightly dressed rocket and crusty bread, but any starch and green vegetable will do. Here are some suggestions:
- Best Melting Potatoes Ever
- Winter salad
- rice pilaf
- Air Fryer Rice Green beans
- Microwave Orzo Salad with Roasted Cauliflower, Pine Nuts, and Parsley Asparagus Steamed
How can you Store Leftovers?
Refrigerate leftover Vermilion (or any other) rockfish recipe for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer. The microwave is ideal for reheating. You can also freeze leftovers for a few months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Top Tips and Tricks for Recipe
- Use a bowl of white plain rice or potatoes cooked in your preferred method as a side dish. Make a garden salad with cucumbers, bell peppers, arugula, or romaine lettuce for a lighter meal option. Drizzle with olive oil and top with fresh green or chopped white onions. Enjoy it at any time of day!
- It is very popular on the West Coast of North America; look for it in your local grocery stores and Asian markets.
- Baked rockfish has numerous health benefits and is high in lean protein, omega 3 fatty acids, and minerals.
- White fish is extremely lean, so don’t overcook it! When the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, it is done. To determine whether it is done, use an instant read thermometer. Internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After preparation, squeeze lemon juice over the fish. It will enhance the flavour and be delicious.
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